Mr. Ducklow had been troubled by similar fancies; so, getting down on his knees, he felt in the dark for the bonds.
"Good gracious!" he ejaculated.
"What now?" cried Mrs. Ducklow. "They a'n't gone, be they? You don't say they're gone!"
"Sure 's the world!—No, here they be! I didn't feel in the right place."
"How you did frighten me! My heart almost hopped out of my mouth!" Indeed, the shock was sufficient to keep the good woman awake the rest of the night.
Daylight the next morning dissipated their doubts, and made both feel that they had been the victims of unnecessary and foolish alarms.
"I hope ye won't git so worked up another night," said Mr. Ducklow. "It's no use. We might live in the house a hundred years, and never hear of a robber or a fire. Ye only excite yerself, and keep me awake."
"I should like to know if you didn't git excited, and rob me of my sleep jest as much as I did you!" retorted the indignant housewife.
"You began it; you fust put it into my head. But never mind; it can't be helped now. Le' 's have breakfast as soon as ye can; then I'll run over and see Reuben."
"Why not harness up, and let me ride over with ye?"